The Big Day is Tomorrow
Tomorrow at the Common Ground Awards' ceremony the speaker's desk will be used by our Awardees.
Our big event, the Common Ground Award ceremony is taking place tomorrow evening. The Common Ground Awards are presented annually to honor outstanding accomplishments in conflict resolution, negotiation, community building, and peacebuilding.
The Recipients have made significant contributions toward bridging divides between people and finding solutions to seemingly intractable problems. We honor groups and individuals who have dealt with conflicts in new ways, who have met crises with creativity, wisdom and courage, and who can inspire and bring hope to others.
We have chosen our Awardees 2011 with great care; they will be honored for their accomplishments as a source of inspiration. In the past six weeks we have published blogs to introduce each Awardee in detail.
We’ve added one more Award after the successful release of the US Hikers in Iran, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal. For their exceptional efforts contributing to the release, Bishop John Chane, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Ambassador (ret.) William Miller will be honored with an Award.
Rais Bhuiyan will be honored for his fight to save his aggressor, Mark Stroman, from the death penalty and answering hate and destruction with forgiveness and action.
Changing the political and social structures with their courageous Bus trips fifty years ago, the Freedom Riders will be honored with an Award. Many of the over 400 Freedom Riders will be at the CG Awards and accepting the Award on behalf of all of them will be Diane Nash and Congressman John Lewis. Diane Nash was a leader and strategist of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee which helped to plan the Freedom Rides. John Lewis was one of the 13 original Freedom Riders. During the Freedom Rides, Lewis was severely injured by mob violence in Alabama and spent 40 days in jail in Mississippi.
Former child soldier, Emmanuel Jal, receives an Award for his journey as a soldier to becoming a world-known musician, artist and actor. He uses his talents to spread the vision of a peaceful world.
Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan will be honored for her life-long commitment to improving understanding and tolerance among Western, Arab and Muslim societies.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation contributes to the CG Awards objectives by engaging in community building and conflict resolution with the focus on good governance and leadership in Africa. With the Ibrahim Prize, the Foundation sets an example for other leaders to pursue democracy and good governance.
We are looking forward to a stimulating ceremony with inspiring Awardees and guests. If you are not able to come to the ceremony, follow us live on Twitter using #CGAwards.
